Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative damage is a major cause of tissue necrosis during skin flap ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, existing antioxidant materials often show limited scavenging efficiency, poor injectability, or inadequate controllability. Here, we synthesized an injectable copolymer, poly(eTEGA-co-LA), via AIBN-initiated free-radical copolymerization. By integrating α-lipoic acid (ALA), a ROS-responsive thioether antioxidant, into the polymer backbone, the material achieves active elimination of multiple ROS, while tri(ethylene glycol) ether units maintain thermoresponsive behavior and injectability. Poly(eTEGA-co-LA) exhibits an adjustable lower critical solution temperature (LCST), excellent cytocompatibility, and sustained scavenging activity against various ROS, including DPPH radicals, hydroxyl radicals (·OH), and hypochlorous acid (HClO). In a rat random-pattern skin flap I/R model, the material improved microcirculatory perfusion, reduced distal necrosis, and helped preserve tissue structure, indicating significant in vivo protection against oxidative injury. Overall, poly(eTEGA-co-LA) serves as a dual-functional material combining thermoresponsive phase transition with strong antioxidant capacity, offering a promising materials-based strategy for treating flap I/R injury and other oxidative stress-related conditions.
Committee Chair
Xiaowei Li
Committee Members
Matthew D. Wood, Justin M. Sacks
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Author's Department
Biomedical Engineering
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
Winter 12-17-2025
Language
English (en)
Author's ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3527-6571
Recommended Citation
Guo, Yuhan, "Antioxidative Copolymer for Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Flap Necrosis: Synthesis and Evaluation" (2025). McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations. 1298.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/eng_etds/1298